UFC Seemingly Confirms Next Fight for Islam Makhachev With New UFC Rankings Update

Della Maddalena previously occupied the #1 spot and fell three places down to #4. The Australian was replaced by Ian Machado Garry, who previously held the #2 spot following back-to-back wins over Prates and former welterweight titleholder Belal Muhammad.

The movement at the top of the welterweight rankings seems to confirm the recent reports that the UFC intends to have Machado Garry challenge Islam Makhachev for the division’s title, and the current expectation is that the fight will headline UFC 330 in Philadelphia, PA on August 15.

New Faces Debut in UFC Rankings After Big Wins at UFC Perth

Prates wasn’t the only fighter to secure the biggest win of his career at UFC Perth, as Quillan Salkilld also extended an unbeaten start to his UFC career when he knocked out top-ranked lightweight contender Beneil Dariush in the night’s co-main event.

The result gives Salkilld four finishes out of five UFC victories, and he’s now broken into the lightweight Top 15 at #12 after previously being unranked. Dariush fell two spots down to #14, and the longtime lightweight veteran has now been knocked out four times out of his last five Octagon
appearances.

Brando Peričić also debuts in the heavyweight rankings at #15 after knocking out Shamil Gaziev as part of the UFC Perth main card. That result markes Peričić's third stoppage-win out of as many UFC appearances.

The only other ranked action at UFC Perth was the flyweight matchup between former title challengers Steve Erceg and Tim Elliott. After getting his hand raised via unanimous decision, Erceg moved up two spots to #10 in the flyweight rankings, while Elliott fell one place to #12.